Alice Albergaria Borges
Weaver
Caldas da Rainha, Portugal
Native wool on the Portuguese loom
- Alice makes botanically-inspired crocheted jewellery, scarves and other textile objects
- She works with local Portuguese handspun wool, using both undyed and naturally dyed fibres
- Her creations draw inspiration from memory and surrounding landscapes
Alice Albergaria Borges explores natural dyeing, fibre processing and hand spinning with a special interest in wool from Portuguese native sheep breeds. Inspired by knitting and crocheting clothes for her dolls as a child, she studied weaving and textile dyeing in Lisbon and graduated from Chelsea College of Arts with a BA in textile design. Deeply connected to her territory, Alice works with locally sourced fibres and natural dyes inspired by the landscape. “Making is a natural process. I work closely with natural materials, fibres and dyes almost as if I were a tree bearing fruit,” she says. Her holistic approach, from raw material to finished piece, led to her selection for the Homo Faber Fellowship, an opportunity to share her passion with her Portuguese fellow.
INTERVIEW
My mother is from the Azores, an island group with a rich history of natural dyes. I grew up reading about orcein, a rare purple dye made from sea-cliff lichens. Looking back, I realise I was surrounded by it my entire life.
I work extensively with different Portuguese wools, materials that are readily available and crying out to be used. Crucially, wool remains the only textile fibre in Portugal with a completely domestic production cycle.
The way the material is used is everything. I often see handmade textiles that ignore the very nature of the yarn itself. I think the care, minutiae and creativity in the making process are more important than perfection. I see flaws as an opportunity to create differently.
I exhibited at the Wool Museum run by the University of Beira Interior in Covilhã. At the opening, an older lady thought my naturally dyed wool samples were ancient. The museum director pointed to me and said, 'She made them! They were made today!'
Alice Albergaria Borges
Weaver
Caldas da Rainha, Portugal
ADDRESS
Address upon request, Caldas da Rainha, Portugal
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
PHONE
+351 913859743
LANGUAGES
Portuguese, English
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